U.S. Direct Investment in Dubai Doubles to AED14.3 Billion in First Half of 2025
New York, The Gulf Observer: Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, announced that U.S. direct investment in Dubai reached AED14.3 billion in the first half of 2025, doubling the total investment recorded in 2024. He made the remarks during a panel session at the Dubai Business Forum – USA, highlighting the Emirate’s rising prominence as a global investment hub for the American business community.
Lootah emphasized that Dubai serves as a key centre for U.S. companies seeking to expand into emerging and high-potential global markets, particularly in Africa. He noted that Dubai’s non-oil trade with African nations amounted to AED354.5 billion in 2024, representing a 34 percent increase over the United States’ own trade with Africa, which stood at AED264.2 billion. This, he said, underscores Dubai’s position as a strategic gateway for American businesses aiming to tap into African markets.
Between 2018 and 2024, Dubai’s exports and re-exports to global markets totaled AED466 billion, marking an 88 percent increase and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.1 percent. Lootah stated that these figures reflect Dubai’s robust, competitive, and business-friendly environment, which continues to attract and empower international investors.
Highlighting the dynamism of Dubai’s digital economy, Lootah revealed that 145 American investors invested approximately AED3.6 billion in 158 projects across Dubai’s digital sectors between 2020 and 2024. This, he added, demonstrates the confidence of U.S. investors in Dubai’s innovation ecosystem and its ability to drive digital entrepreneurship and sustainable growth.
